A printing apparatus such as a printer typically incorporates power consumption reduction features including automatically turning off power to a main body of the printing apparatus when processing does not take place for some time. Such a known printing apparatus may comprise a switching device such as a relay coupled between the main body of the device and a power source such that power-on and power-off are switched by turning on and off of the switching device. Because of the change in the power states of the printing apparatus by the switching functionality of the switching device, the printing apparatus may be placed in a state of reduced power consumption and restored to a normal state where the device can perform printing process.
In the context of the state of the art techniques of this type, various approaches are available to effectively control the switching of the power states of the printing apparatus. For example, Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Kokai Publication No. 2012-228789 discloses an image forming apparatus that comprises a power switch configured by a relay. The known apparatus may turn off the power switch after entry into a low power consumption state, and/or count the number of times of turning on and off of the power switch and automatically turn off the power switch when it is determined that the number of times exceeds a predetermined threshold. Such an approach allows for not only reduction of negative impacts upon the lifetime of the power switch but also quick turn-off of the power switch.
However, when the power switch is turned off, a power source of a control device that controls the power switch is also turned off. In such a case, it is not possible to control the power switch when power supply to the main body of the printing apparatus is stopped. In view of this, it can be seen that a solution is needed which achieves more effective control of power supply and stoppage thereof to the main body of the printing apparatus regardless of the power states of the printing apparatus. There is also a need for more flexible control of the switching of the power states of the printing apparatus that takes various conditions into account (the conditions may include impacts on the lifetime of the switch and factors that may necessitate change in the power states).